Castle Law
Fort (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Castle Law
Classification Fort (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 55395
Site Number NT51SW 7
NGR NT 5093 1242
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/55395
- Council Scottish Borders, The
- Parish Cavers
- Former Region Borders
- Former District Roxburgh
- Former County Roxburghshire
NT51SW 7 5093 1242.
(Centred: NT 5093 1242) Fort (NR)
OS 6" map (1916-38)
Fort, Castle Law. This fort, 400 yds SE of Hummelknows farm, occupies the summit of a ridge overlooking the Slitrig Water from a height of 700ft OD. It has been largely wrecked by surface quarrying, but appears to have been rectangular with rounded angles, and to have measured 250ft from NE to SW by about 150ft from NW to SE within ramparts which are triple on the SW and double elsewhere. The inner rampart has been entirely obliterated on the longer sides, where it ran along the shoulders of the ridge, but is traceable by a slight mound, drawn across the ridge, on both the NE and SW sides. The outer rampart, which is accompanied by an internal quarry-ditch, is represented by a low mound underlying a modern dyke on the NW, by fragmentary mounds on the NE
and SW, and by a terrace on the SE. On three sides it is roughly 50ft distant from the inner rampart, but on the SW, side it swings farther out and another rampart, which springs from the S and W corners of the innermost defences, has been interpolated. This medial rampart is now reduced to a crest-line. There are two entrances approximately in the centres of the NE and SW sides. The interior, which is broken up by rocky hummocks and by quarrying, contains no signs of structures.
RCAHMS 1956, visited 1948
NT 5095 1242 The remains of this fort are as described by RCAHMS.
Revised at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (WDJ) 31 March 1965
Note (18 August 2015 - 9 August 2016)
This fort is situated on the hillock forming the NW end of a ridge that rises SE into Newfield Hill, and while the approach from the SE is relatively gentle, on the NW and SW the ground falls away steeply, on the latter flank down to the E bank of the Slitrig Water. Sub-oval on plan, the fort measures internally about 76m from NE to SW by 45m transversely (0.28ha), but the ramparts have been mutilated by surface quarrying. Nevertheless, three lines can be distinguished on the SW and two elsewhere, the outer accompanied by an internal quarry-ditch. On the SW this outer rampart and ditch swing out wide to allow the insertion of the third rampart, which appears to spring from the inner at its NW and SE ends. There are opposed entrances on the NE and SW, but apart from evidence of quarrying the interior is featureless.
Information from An Atlas of Hillforts of Great Britain and Ireland – 09 August 2016. Atlas of Hillforts SC3306
Sbc Note
Visibility: This is an upstanding earthwork or monument.
Information from Scottish Borders Council
